To Give Love Wings
by aelynn
Summary: -on hiatus-Sarah's been dreaming of the Labyrinth again. And Him. Her attempts to escape her dreams of the The Goblin King are thwarted when she hits him-or rather, an owl- with her truck.
1. Prisoner of Love

I have been wanting to write this for AGES- but I haven't really written fanfiction since my last horrible Mary-Sue filled attempts in middle school. Blegh. I will do my utmost to keep Jareth and Sarah true to character and make Toby as little-boy-like as possible. Ah, right.

- I do not own The Labyrinth or any of its characters. Just saying. And without further ado, I present...

TO GIVE LOVE WINGS- a Labyrinth fanfiction. Enjoy.

--

Jareth scowled and paced the thrown room. Any goblin who tried to belay a message to their king would be met with a fierce stare that sent them running. The palace was no longer filled with the eccentric Goblin Kings' song and dance. It was silent, as if the stone castle were holding its breath for something to happen.

Tiny puckered faces peeked into the throne room. Every one of them knew what was bothering their king, but the first and last goblin to question Jareth on his return from the mortal realm had been punted from the tower window. All that occupied the Goblin Kings' time lately was pacing, mistreating the goblins, and flying off to places unknown. None of the goblins dared to ask where.

Suddenly, as if called, Jareth strode towards the window and leapt. As he fell, the king transformed into a barn owl. In moments he was out of sight. Flying into the foggy nothing that encircled his small kingdom, he was soon transported into the dark woods near a familiar mortal town. He landed on a branch and sighed, shuffling from foot to foot. What was he doing? Not even the Goblin King knew.

In truth, ever since the girl and her brother has been returned home safely he had been terrified of allowing them to see him, even in this form he feared being recognized. But he still wanted to see them. This overwhelming pain that now enveloped and suffocated him did nothing to hinder his thoughts from always, _always _straying to her. It was maddening- heart wrenching. Hour after hour thinking over the past- everything he had done wrong. Then, when his thoughts eventually turned to how he could win her back, as they always did, he found himself in the mortal world before rational thoughts returned.

Time works differently between the two realms. It could have been hours, or years difference. By the new buildings and noticeably less forest, he supposed at least a few years. To her, by now his existence would be nothing more than a nightmare she vaguely remembered having in her childhood. But it couldn't hurt to see her- by now he was certain even if she saw him, a barn owl wouldn't lead her to suspect him. No, he was the farthest thing from her mind. His beloved, darling _Sarah_...

"Damn!" Sarah woke in a sweat with tears in her eyes _again_. Tired eyes resting grumpily on the red book that lay innocently on her bedside table, she swept it up and thew it across the floor. "It's your fault!" She whispered accusing. The books only retort was flashing its title back at her as a cars' lights drove by and gleamed off the reflective lettering. 'The Labyrinth' it mocked.

"Bah!" Sarah mumbled, shoving her tear streaked face into her pillow. Her mind was certainly a scary place. Re-reading an old play had led her to remember the epic dream it had inspired in high school. Only now, her more mature mind played things out differently. And only one other person starred- the Goblin King.

The first night she had spent dancing with him at her senior prom. He had whispered naughty things and wonderfully cruel comments about the other couples into her ear- she woke up simultaneously blushing and laughing. Ever since then, her dreams had taken a turn for the worse. The further she read in the play, the worse it became.

The second dream she spent navigating the castle in the center of the goblin city. Eventually, she came to a locked door. Inside, she spied through a large keyhole the goblin king and baby Toby; playing. Both of them were on the floor laughing. Toby was reaching for flying glass orbs where glorious fairy-tale creatures danced within. Suddenly a goblin passed right through Sarah and into the room. It informed the Goblin King that Sarah had fallen into an oubliette. He was striding out the door, saying "I have to go, watch little-" when the goblin interrupted and told him that 'Hoggle' had helped her escape. He seemed at first troubled, then sent the guard away and lifted Toby. He bounced the infant and smiled as Toby reached out and grabbed his wild blonde hair. After a moment, he groaned and set Toby into a conjured crib. Lifting a hat and coat from a hat wrack in the corner, he muttered 'I'll be the death of me...' and was gone, leaving Toby crying.

However, the most troubling dream yet was the one Sarah had just awakened from. In the dream, Sarah had stood frozen to the floor. Before her, faeries and imps, brownies, nymphs, elves, and woodland creatures as well as beautiful women in waiting all gathered in the center of a broken room. It was all debris and broken stone but in the center, something made of gold and polished wood lay. She had heard whimpers and sobs, and whispered hysterics filled the room. Sarah needed to see what they were gathered around.

Turning, she saw in the shadowy corners, goblins gathered- lips quivering and faces filled with shock. Slowly, Sarah began to press forward to the center of the room. She passed through the creatures like ghosts. Tiny lights, feathers, and flowers filled the sides of the box- the casket. Lying within was the Goblin King as he had last appeared to her. Finally as peace, clothed in creams and whites, she saw a softness in his features. He looked much younger than she remembered, less weary, but somehow, sad. The whispers now reached Sarah's ears; barely louder than her heartbeat.

"It's the goblins fault- they just had to steal the baby."

"Well, she invoked them didn't she?"

"Yes, but they didn't have to take it! They knew the Goblin King was watching her!" their hurried whispers calmed.

"It's just so sad! Forced to be so cruel to her to make her hate him! To see how it affected him..."

"Didn't he try to tell her?"

"No! How could he? The laws bound him body and soul to play his part!"

"Well, he found ways around 'em! It wore on him though. I heard that in the end, when she beat the labyrinth,"

"Pssh, some labyrinth! He made it into a glorified playground..."

"well, he couldn't let her leave, hating him so much- he confessed!" The creatures were shocked into silence.

"But the wicked thing all but laughed at him and turned his words back at him."

"That's what did it."

"Poor thing."

"He always seemed- invincible."

"I suppose even a Goblin King can die of a broken heart." Sarah's blood ran cold. She turned back to the casket but in the Goblin Kings' place was a snowy barn owl, an arrow through his heart. And then Sarah woke up.

And so, Sarah found it hard to get back to sleep. She lay silent in bed for the better half of an hour before throwing back the covers and leaving her room. Down the hall, Toby's door was open so she walked in. Sarah found Toby playing video games on the floor.

"Why are you still awake?" She asked, sitting down beside him.

"Only three levels to go..." He murmured. Sarah sighed and glanced over her half-brother. His hair had turned a sharp blonde color and he had lost nearly all of his baby fat in eight short years to reveal a thin, pixy-like frame. Looking at her little brother she could already tell he was going to be a heartbreaker.

"I couldn't sleep." She murmured. "Bad dream." Toby grunted- everyone already knew about her recent bout of bad dreams from the constant squeak of old bedsprings. Not to mention the constant incoherent chatterin coming from her room through their thin walls.

"Found an apartment yet?" Sarah smiled and shook her head no. Toby was the only family member who showed relative interest in her life.

"You'll find one soon." He stated. Not even trying to cheer her up- to Toby, it was an inevitable fact.

"Hey, pause the game." Toby did so and turned to his big sister.

"What?" Sarah instantly grabbed and held her little brother in a tight hug.

"Thank goodness I kept you from getting spoiled!" Toby struggled for release.

"If mom an' dad were around more often..." Sarah released Toby. She knew the almost constant absence of their parents was a sore topic. Toby turned his video game back on and shuffled a short ways away from Sarah.

"What's giving you those nightmares anyway?" He asked.

"Just some book I'm reading." Sarah murmured. Toby snorted and rolled his eyes.

"You mean the one on your nightstand? That's not scary." Sarah was silent for a moment.

"You read 'The Labyrinth'?" She asked slowly, shocked that an object which recently held her attention so fully had been taken by Toby. He shrugged.

"Yeah, but it wasn't that good. The girl was mean." Now Sarah was angry.

"She risked a dangerous labyrinth to rescue her little brother!" Toby groaned, defeated, and turned off the game.

"But she wished him there in the first place! And it didn't sound too scary. I don't think the baby would've been turned into a goblin anyways- if that's what's been scaring you." Sarah sighed.

"Why?" She asked. Now Toby was confused.

"Why what?"

"Why don't you think it was dangerous? Remember she was warned about 'certain death." Toby rolled his eyes, preparing to lecture his silly older sister.

"I think the Goblin King kept everything in check. He'd never let her get hurt."

"He was the one sending things after her! The cleaners, the goblin army, that peach!" Sarah yelled, really heated now. Toby looked over anxiously at the door and rebutted with a heated whisper.

"The cleaner was pushing her in the right direction after she made fun of the king! And the stupid army sounded like a bunch of useless idiots. Plus, that dumb peach didn't hurt her. The Goblin King just wanted to dance with her- he loved her. She was an idiot."

"But-"

"I felt kinda bad for the king..." Sarah was quite frustrated now.

"Yeah, well you're too young to really get it." And without another word, she strode from his room and into her own, trying desperately to outrun her troubling thoughts.

In her bed, they caught up with her. Images of her last dream encounter with the Goblin King. How desperate, maddened, he had acted. Contradicted himself until, defeated, he threw that

last crystal and returned her home. That owl she remembered seemed important somehow. Turning over, Sarah could almost swear she glimpsed the owl in the tree outside her window.

Years then. Sarah had not been equipped with such curves when he had last seen her. And now, even more beautiful. Jareth blushed beneath his feathers as he quickly flew way from her house before he could be spotted. In a flurry of feathers he landed in the knothole of a tree near the park. He felt better- minimally but it was there. To see her safe and home, older yet more beautiful had set a tiny piece of his heart back into place. Jareth opened his eyes and was greeted with the unexpected bright daylight. He had fallen asleep. The chance to glimpse Sarah in the light of day had presented itself and proved too good to pass up.

He was at once in the air, floating just over rooftops and through telephone wires. He was drawn towards her house. He felt light and happy at the chance to see his Sarah again. So happy, in fact, that he never saw the truck coming.

--

And so it begins! Finally- I knew this fanfic would be trouble when I skipped to write the end first. But now, at least I get to leave the first chapter on a cliff-hanger. What a way to grab some readers eh? My writing class told me to start with an event and I certainly gave you one! Yeah- go ahead. Hate me. I deserve. I turned The Goblin King into roadkill. Live with it. Oh, I suppose it's rather obvious but I'll say it anyways- Sarah's nightmare was just that- a nightmare. Something to push her towards doing what I want. (bwahaha) In my opinion the little git deserves her share after what she did to Jareth. Anyways- the next chapters should be much longer and hopefully updates won't be too few and far between so please enjoy!


	2. Changes

So... this update took a bit longer than I wanted it to. I decided that I cannot write long chapters. There are certain points in the story that I feel should be the end of each chapter and if I continue on from there, it doesn't feel right. So tiny chapters updated more frequently. Everybody wins!

-I still don't own The Labyrinth or any of it's characters. (Of course not, this is a fanfiction site- do I even need this?)

--

"Sarah!" Toby called. Sarah's bedroom door slammed open and the little blonde came barreling up to his older sister's bed. Seeing that she was still asleep, he started to whine and shake her awake.

"C'mon Sarah, wake up! C'mon, what're you doing still asleep?" He cried, shaking her even more furiously. Clutched in his tiny fist was a crumpled sheet of paper. He smiled and began bouncing on the balls of his feet as Sarah groaned and rolled over to face Toby. She glared at the eight year old like he was the last thing she needed this early in the morning. Toby didn't care- he needed his sister up and awake.

"Ugh...Toby? What is it? ...What time is it?" She muttered, stretching and kicking off her comforter.

"Sarah, did you see this? Is this why you started reading The Labyrinth again?" He asked, shoving the paper in Sarah's face. She already knew what it would be even before looking.

In bright colors on the front of the town newsletter was The Labyrinth. The playhouse was putting on the play and looking for actors and stagehands to help out. Sarah had hoped Toby wouldn't find it under the piles of newspapers she had hidden it under. So much for that plan.

"Yeah, I just wanted to browse through it..." Sarah muttered, sliding her feet onto the cold floor. Actually, the title of the play had brought back memories of a dream based on the play much more vividly than her actual part as the lead. Of course at fifteen, reading and re-reading the heroine's part of the script had prompted her unconscious mind to build her a similar dream. Strange that all it brought her now were nightmares…

"Are you gonna audition? You can play the lead again!" Toby exclaimed, looking from the advertisement to Sarah. Sarah rubbed her eyes and stood, stretching. She hurried about her room in an attempt to not meet her younger brother's hopeful face.

"No Toby, once was definitely enough." Sarah said. She started out of her room but Toby was on her heels. Ugh, she was so tired. Why did Toby have to bring this up _now_? "Besides, they probably already have professionals to play the lead roles." She added. "That paper is about a week old."

Toby glanced wistfully at the advertisement once more, his face scrunched up. Sarah could tell she had won. Maybe now she could grab some more sleep before work. She took the paper from Toby's hands and set it on her dresser. As she did, Sarah happened to glance at the clock. She had five minutes before her shift started. Sarah spared a glance to make sure Toby was out of the room.

"_Damn_!"

Sarah was tired- impossibly tired, unfairly tired, but she had to get to her job. She been late so often lately, she was in danger of being fired. Sarah yawned again and cranked up the volume on the radio as she rolled out of the driveway and picked up speed. She wasn't just drowsy- she was late. Frowning, Sarah sped up her truck and yawned once more.

Wham!

She slammed on the brakes and pulled over, fear overpowering sleep deprivation in mere moments. There was a large crack in her windshield- the size of a cat or a small dog. Praying some piece of debris or lost toy was the culprit, she stepped onto the asphalt and saw a crumpled patch of cream in a nearby ditch- it was an animal. Heart sinking, she reassured herself that none of the neighbors she knew had a pet that color.

But as she grew closer, close enough to tell that they were feathers- not fur and it was a wing at a crooked angle reaching onto the road, a whole new fear presented itself. Turning over the bird, her stomach dropped out of existence. Her dream from last night hit her with full force and Sarah fell back onto the road. A barn owl.

With a shaking hand she stroked its ruffled feathers and tenderly touched the twisted wing. Its eyes weakly opened and the owl turned the wing away, screeching meekly. It was still alive. Before she was conscious of it, she had scooped the injured animal into her jacket and onto the car seat beside her. She had a friend who worked at a zoo. It was only a few minutes away. Bouncing her left leg up and down with the radio now turned off, Sarah shot into the parking lot and all but flew to the back rooms where injured animals were taken. In utter hysterics Sarah tried to explain though her sobbing just _why_ her old high school friend needed to save this crumpled bird.

Jareth was fairly certain he was dead. He concluded fairly quickly that his cause of death could be attributed to the heart-wrenching agony of heartbreak suddenly turning to utter happiness. His heart had burst from happiness. He was also a bit worried about his wing, which hurt a _great_ deal for some reason. Jareths' qualms were quickly amended however, when he saw an angel- she looked just like Sarah.

She stroked him as he had imagined she- _ow_. That darn wing. Oh well, it didn't matter because Sarah was now _lifting him up_ and holding him in her arms. Jareth was wondering why he hadn't done this sooner when she laid him down once more (and again, ow) and sat next to him, one hand always laid on his side, stroking him. Not a bad way to spend eternity.

That ended abruptly after one last heavenly minute in the angel Sarah's arms before Jareth was assaulted by loud, unintelligible voices, the sounds of wild animals, bright, flashing lights, and a horrible smell.

_Ah,_ Jareth thought,_ I suppose that's all the time in heaven I deserve. An eternity in hell is next I suppose- can't say I don't deserve it. _

The smug owl, acting a perfect martyr, was then subjected to a horrible new wrenching pain in his wing. Soon after, something poked him and Jareth fell into a deep sleep.

Sarah eventually calmed down after the bird had been bandaged, put in a splint, and knocked unconscious. Her friend had seemed hesitant on the whole affair and seemed to want to tell her something. But Sarah had been in shambles and would have heard nothing at the time, save, 'I'll do what I can'. However, once the barn owl was asleep, she found her chance.

Sarah was just dejectedly closing her cell phone when she approached. Sarah stood and looked at the young woman with warm eyes.

"Carrie, Thank you so much for this, you don't know what it means to me." This comment only increased the worry that had laced the woman's face. Sarah noticed. "What?" She asked, glancing back at the owl.

"Sarah," Carrie started. "Sarah this isn't right." Sarah seemed confused.

"I'll pay for the expenses."

"No, no... Sarah that isn't it." She paused again. "We don't have room to keep it here."

"I can keep it at my house." Sarah interrupted. "I can buy a big cage-"

"But you can't keep it forever. When you do get an apartment, there's no way they'll let you bring it. You know your parents won't keep it-."

"I'll let it go once it's healed- I never planned to keep it." Sarah interrupted once more, grinding on the woman's last nerve.

"Sarah you can't. You should have left it. If you keep it and take care of it, when you have to let it go, it's almost certain that a few weeks, maybe months later it will die." The truth had sounded rather brutal when put that way.

Carrie looked over at the owl. "In my professional opinion..." The look on Sarah's face made her pause. "In situations like this, the best option is to put the animal down." She took a deep breath, freed from the burden now that she had told Sarah. Carrie looked at her friend gazing at the owl. Sarah walked slowly over to the owl and turned around quickly, a determined glint in her eyes.

Jareth opened his eyes and felt a horrible headache. _Ugh_- this entire 'death' ordeal was tiring. He was sick of it already. Gazing at his surroundings, he realized that he now occupied a rather large cage. He also realized that he was in Sarah's bedroom. His mood vastly improved and Jareth hopped about his cage, searching for his angel-Sarah.

"Let me see it!" A little boy's voice yelled though the door, drawing Jareth's attention.

"No, Toby-it's still knocked out from the drugs. And besides, my room reeks of owl and old newspaper already."

_Sarah!_ Jareth screeched from joy. For some reason she was talking about the baby he had nicknamed 'Jareth' back when...

Suddenly, a little blonde boy burst into the room and exclaimed, "Ah cool!" He ran up to the cage and smiled ear to ear. Sarah, who seemed relieved, followed him into the room.

"It's just like the one in the book! The owl The Goblin King turns into!" Jareth narrowed his eyes, and hopped forward, looking the boy up and down.

"Can we name it 'The Goblin King'?" Toby asked, reaching though the bars to stroke the owl. Glancing surreptitiously at the protruding finger stretching towards him, Jareth hissed. The finger was instantly withdrawn. "Did you hear that? He hissed at me!" Toby exclaimed in nervous excitement. "I thought owls only hooted!" Sarah picked up the phone from her table.

"Toby, don't try to pet it. Next time it might bite you."

_Damn straight!_ Jareth screeched, lifting his wings and quickly lowering the injured one. _Ouch._

"Nah, The Goblin King wouldn't do that. Would ya?" Sarah didn't answer, but spoke into the phone.

"Yes, he woke up. Alright, yes, thanks again." She turned to Toby and sighed. "Stop calling him The Goblin King. What kind of name is that? It's a title." Toby screwed up his face and looked at Jareth, who shrugged. _She's right._

"Well...what was The Goblin King's name?" He asked. Sarah seemed to be taken by surprise and turned away.

"Well, I don't remember. That play was a long time ago. I just know he had one. It suited him." She ended in a murmured.

_Jareth! _ He screeched from his cage._ My name is Jareth! Oh, come on! That stupid Headwool said it right in front of you! _ He sat on the newspapered floor of his cage and slowly screeched it out._ Ja-reth!_

"Oh..." Sarah suddenly paused, hand over her mouth. "I-I think I remembered it! I think it was Jareth." She knew it was right the moment she said it. It was perfect.

"Cool. Jareth, then." Toby said. "It sounds kind of familiar- that's probably it." With one last look at Jareth, Toby left the room, murmuring one last 'cool...' as he went.

--

Well that's it. One of my least favorite chapters- I have no idea how a vet or zoologist or whatever would help an injured owl. I guessed- don't be too cruel. The part about captive owls dying once set free is true though- I did research, give me a little credit! A lot went into fixing this chapter- At the last minute I gave Carrie a name, leaving her nameless was too awkward. I added the scene with the play advertisement for some oh-so-subtle foreshadowing. I don't think Jareth would ever really yell 'damn straight' but nothing else fit. Look forward to the next chapter- I like it SO much more than this one.


	3. Blah Blah Blah

Sorry for the long wait- this week is crunch time for me. Packing last minute stuff, getting boxes, freaking out. That sort of thing. I rather like this chapter and enjoyed writing it. This cute song 'Every Little Thing He Does is Magic' on repeat helped a great deal. It's so sweet and it fits Jareth and Sarah so well... Anyways- please enjoy!

--

And then there were two. Jareth slowly turned to look at Sarah who was gazing at his broken wing. She sat down on the floor and looked up to Jareth's small, feathered face.

"I am so sorry I hit you with my truck." She said slowly. It took a moment for the sentence to sink in before Jareth understood and shot to the back of his cage.

_What?!_ He screeched.

"Well, you should've been paying more attention too." She added, hearing his screech. Shrugging, she pulled on a pair of thick gardening gloves from the dresser. "Either way, you're stuck with me until that wing heals." Jareth looked around with new eyes. He wasn't dead. He was in Sarah's bedroom. She was going to look after him. This must be a dream.

Sarah wrinkled her nose and pulled something out of her closet. "And I'm stuck with a closet full of _these_." She groaned, pulling a clear, rectangular container into view. Inside were half a dozen mice, scrambling around within and staring with wide black eyes at Jareth.

_Ugh._ Jareth thought, looking distastefully at the rodents. He had never actually remained in owl form long enough to force this change in diet. It brought to mind several unsavory things his condition would necessitate.

"Yuck. You'd better appreciate this." Sarah spoke through her teeth as she practically flung one of the hyperventilating mice into Jareth's cage and just as quickly shut the door. The Goblin King glared at her and stuck his beak up in the air. He most certainly did _not_ appreciate it. Sarah was stuck between disbelief at this very human gesture and outrage.

"You better eat it you ungrateful crow!" She all but hissed. Now it was Jareth's turn for outrage.

_ Why Sarah, did _you_ just call _me_ ungrateful? I don't believe I've ever heard a more obvious instance of a 'pot calling the kettle black.'_ Jareth thought. And then, swooping down upon the helpless mouse he swallowed it whole. The look on Sarah's face made it all worth it. And then Sarah rushed from the room leaving Jareth alone to wash the awful taste from his mouth. _Shoot._

However, soon enough Sarah was back in her room looking in desperate need of a good night's sleep. Jareth closely watched her and saw to his immense pleasure that she was undressing. He needed a better perch. Sadly, the sound of his hopping onto the hanging branch drew Sarah's attention. She instantly blushed and decided to change in the bathroom. Jareth called to her retreating figure to return but it was to no avail. She was already gone.

--

That night, as Sarah lay sleeping, Jareth pondered what to do next. He looked at the door to his cage, equipped with a simple lock that he could easily outwit. He was not at all hindered by the blanket a self-conscious Sarah had thrown over the cage. In mere moments Jareth awkwardly fluttered to the floor. Now to change back.

Jareth had just begun to take on his more dashing form when a horrible pain in his arm drove him back to the form of a barn owl. Glaring at the offending wing, he deduced that perhaps shape-shifting wasn't the best course of action when bones were broken. He would simply have to wait until his wing healed.

Fluttering onto Sarah's bedside, he gazed down at her while she slept. He stayed like that for hours, watching over her as she dreamed. Unbeknownst to him, this was the best sleep she had gotten in weeks. With the first sign of her waking, he returned to his cage and shut the door. Imagining her sleeping form beside him once more, it wasn't long before he too was fast asleep.

--

Jareth woke that morning to the guttural sound of Sarah's truck leaving the driveway.

_Oh no you don't, Sarah dear. _ Jareth thought as he let out his loudest screech and shot out of the cage and onto the floor. Fluttering with his good wing and screeching at the top of his lungs, it wasn't long before Toby slammed open the door. When he spied the barn owl flopping towards him on the floor, Toby screamed bloody murder and sprinted from the room. Jareth chuckled to himself and continued his screeching from the floor. Soon Toby's panicked voice was heard screaming into the telephone for Sarah to come back.

In moments Sarah's truck squealed in reverse back up the driveway and she ran inside; Toby was at the door to meet her, tears streaming down his bright red face. Calming her little brother, she jogged up to her room. The absence of screeching made her instantly suspicious. Sarah slowly opened the door. She was greeted by a cheery screech from Jareth, sitting inside his cage, happy as a clam.

Sarah was speechless. She had been preparing for an owl in pain, with rabies, attempting escape, something! The only evidence in Toby's favor was a single feather on the carpet. Gazing quizzically back at Jareth, she pivoted and called into the hall.

"Toby, he looks fine." Toby peeked into the room and was shocked to find Jareth in his cage.

"But-" He started.

"Look Toby," Sarah sighed. "I have to go, I'm going to be late." She started towards the hall and Jareth let out a warning screech, ruffling his feathers. Toby squeaked and shuffled behind Sarah. She narrowed her eyes at the caged bird and slowly took a few steps backwards towards the door. Jareth let out a hiss.

"Sarah..." Toby whined, clutching at her jacket. She looked down at her terrified little brother and sighed.

"Fine." She said, dropping her bag on the floor. "I probably shouldn't drive the truck until I get the windshield fixed anyways." Jareth chirped cheerily and hopped about his cage, absolutely smug. Sarah gave him a dirty look and pointed two fingers at her eyes, and then him. Jareth got the message and froze. "I am _so_ fired..." Sarah murmured, dropping onto her bed.

"Thanks Sarah." Toby murmured, staring at the floor. Well shit. Now Jareth felt kind of bad. Sarah kept a hand over her face and waved Toby towards the door.

"No problem, Squirt. Go watch cartoons or something." Toby smiled and was quickly out of the room. Sarah listened for his hurried descent down the stairs and into the living room before she breathed a sigh of relief.

_Well done Sarah. Just the two of us now._ Jareth chirped. Sarah chanced a peak between her fingers and was rewarded with a cheerful screech.

"What?" Sarah asked. "Are you hungry? She sat up and stared at the owl before her. Decidedly not.

"This is ridiculous." She muttered. "It's just a bird." Sarah stood and draped the blanket back over the cage. "There. Sleep. Maybe if you were more nocturnal like normal owls you wouldn't be in this mess." She said, returning to her bed. Through the rough blanket, Jareth could make out her form on her bed and watched her pick something up from her bedside table. Defeated, Jareth let out a weak screech, further muffled by the blanket.

_Sarah, how can you be so cruel?_ Jareth thought sadly. He wished he could fall onto his throne, or disappear into thin air to prove his point. His entrapment in owl form was greatly hindering his flair for the dramatic. On her bed, Sarah only chuckled as she thumbed through The Labyrinth to where she had left off. She was only willing to finish because, thankfully, there had been no nightmares last night.

However, she was interrupted by the sudden ring of the house phone. In his cage, Jareth screeched in surprise at the sudden brutish noise. Sarah took the hint and reached over to answer the phone before her new 'pet' got too worked up.

"Hello?" Sarah answered, speaking into the phone. She was silent for a moment and grew obviously uncomfortable. "Oh..." She shifted her weight and wrapped the phone cord nervously around her finger. "Everything's fine. It's been pretty quiet around here." She turned and looked nervously at the enormous cage now taking up one-third of her bedroom.

_Sarah...Who are you talking to? Who are you_ lying_ to?_ Jareth chuckled, struggling to keep quiet. He was fairly certain that she didn't want whomever she was talking with to know about him. If he made any noise, she would almost definitely leave the room; where was the fun in that?

"Toby's great. I've been helping him with his homework." Jareth noted how Sarah's voice brightened and she seemed happy to talk about her little brother.

"I make sure he knows how to do the work, I just explain the harder problems. He brought back an A+ on his drawing; the teacher thinks Toby's really creative. I put it on the fridge." Sarah continued, only pausing occasionally to listen to short comments and questions on the other line. Then her voice hardened and Sarah dropped the cord from her fingers.

"Why not? If he's good at it-" She stopped talking and walked over to the window.

"Just because it didn't work out for me, that doesn't mean-!" Sarah stopped again and strode back across her room.

"This has nothing to do with her!" Sarah yelled suddenly and froze. She turned her face towards the floor and paused.

"Sorry. Yeah, I'll get him." She slowly set the phone down on her dresser and left the room. Jareth shifted uncomfortably and listened for what was going on downstairs. He could hear Sarah saying something to Toby and his loud reply, 'D'uh!', whatever that meant.

A few more hurried words and Sarah sped back into her room and very carefully held the phone up to her ear. She didn't say anything, only listened. Jareth could see even through that god-awful blanket how tense she was; and he didn't like it. No one but The Goblin King himself should make Sarah that nervous.

After a period of silence that seemed to stretch on forever, Sarah pulled the phone from her ear and heaved a sigh of relief. Toby called from somewhere in the house for Sarah to pick up the phone. She allowed herself another moment of peace before lifting the phone back up to her ear.

"What is it?" She answered once more.

"Oh...yeah, hi Dad." She murmured unenthusiastically.

"How's your trip?" She asked, once more lacking any sort of enthusiasm. She sighed and sat on her bed.

"Toby misses you two." She answered. Five seconds, and Sarah was on her feet once more.

"What? You can't do that! What about Toby?" She hissed into the phone. Sarah's hand rose to her forehead.

"I'm doing the best I can but he misses his parents! Just how long do you two plan to-" Sarah was nearly shaking now and held the phone in a death-grip.

"Put my dad back on the phone." Sarah murmured coldly. She froze and listened for about ten more seconds, at which point Sarah pressed 'end' and threw the phone to the ground. At which point Sarah repeatedly stomped on said phone until a crack appeared on the side and she slammed it back on the receiver.

"Damnit!"

--

Okay, I suppose I have some explaining to do. For those of you who couldn't figure it out, Sarah and Toby's parents are off on their second honeymoon. Sarah obviously still doesn't get along with Karen. What were Karen and Sarah fighting about? I can't tell you that. Not yet. Just know that there's some tension. Poor clueless Jareth he has no idea what he's gotten himself into... And I actually chose for Sarah to keep mice rather than voles because I said so. I don't know how she keeps them or gets them but I won't go into it. I won't go into a lot of things. Use your imaginations.

And now for some bad news. Next week I move into my new dorm room and meet my roommate. I need to get used to the campus and my first week of classes. So the next chapter probably won't be finished for at _least_ two weeks. Sorry but I really don't need another thing to worry about during this big change. Okay, I guess that's it. Next time I update, it will be from a cozy college campus. Hooray!


End file.
